Mar 2, 2016 · 3 minute read
News
After many, many years I've finally posted an update to this blog, as well as moved it to an entirely different platform. It was previously running on Wordpress but I got sick of having to maintain a public-facing web application, particularly one which needed as many security updates as Wordpress does. The new platform is based on Hugo and doesn't run any dynamic code at all - it just generates static files and those are served directly.
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Dec 7, 2010 · 2 minute read
Reviews
If you're a fan of RPG gamebooks you should do yourself a favour and pick up copies of the new editions of the Fabled Lands series. The mechanics of the books' gameplay are simple and are similar to other series such as Fighting Fantasy: you have some basic character stats, navigate around the book sections by choosing options, roll dice for combat and overcoming obstacles, and so on. The difference with these books is that they're opened ended and all fit together to provide different regions of the world.
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Dec 16, 2009 · 1 minute read
General
Given the recent disturbing news that the Australian Federal Government plans to proceed with forcing ISPs to implement mandatory content filtering, it's good to see that at least it's not all bad news. It is currently being considered (again) as to whether the Australian National Classification Scheme should be changed to include an R18+ rating, which would mean certain games wouldn't be banned simply for being part of that classification. You can find a feedback form here, which I strongly urge everyone to do and voice your support for rating parity with other media.

Oct 19, 2009 · 1 minute read
General
Intrigued by a post I found on Alexander Dickson's blog, I had a go at the Zend PHP 5 Certification Self Test. I scored an average 5/8, which is apparently enough to be told "It looks like you are ready to take the Zend PHP Certification exam." Will I do it? Perhaps – it's not that expensive – but does anyone really care about certifications? After the Magento Certification I'm in no hurry to do another one!

Oct 17, 2009 · 1 minute read
Reviews
I discovered Shazam in the Ovi Store list of recommended apps. This is something iPhone users have had for a while but has had only limited availability for Symbian devices. Curious, I decided to try it out. The first thing to note is that the app is a 30 trial version. After the trial period you have to pay for it, or switch to "Shazam Lite". Given that this app will likely only hold novelty value for me, I doubt I'll pay money for it.
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Aug 6, 2009 · 4 minute read
General
Always the bibliophile, I recently threw down some cash for a a few books, which I hope are really investments. So far they seem to have been good purchases! I'll list them and write a bit about why they make for good reads. My intention with these books was to try and keep my education going, particularly on topics related to running businesses, since that's something I was never trained in but is vitality important that I do well.
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Jun 22, 2009 · 1 minute read
News
Earlier tonight I completed – and passed – the Magento Certification Test, thus becoming a certified Magento developer. I must say the test was not nearly as easy as I thought it would be. The questions are multiple choice but use checkboxes rather than radio buttons. Quite a few of the questions were either obscure, had an ambiguous question or answers or relied entirely on terminology which I wouldn't consider to be standard in any way.
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Apr 24, 2009 · 1 minute read
General
I just discovered that realestate.com.au is running a mobile version of their website (as a very trendy beta), which is actually extremely useful. It's obviously been designed with iPhone users in mind but it was fully functional on my Nokia E71. Realestate.com.au is still has a few things missing, such as allowing for more fine-grained searches and displaying a bit more information about each property (such as what type it is).
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Mar 11, 2009 · 1 minute read
GeneralOpinion
Recently I've been doing some more "in depth" work with Drupal and I must say I'm very impressed with the power and flexibility of the software. My only problem is that it takes a little while to get my head around some of the new concepts and terminology that Drupal uses. Coming from a WordPress background (in terms of my most used CMS) I'd say that Drupal is the better choice for any significantly complex CMS site, while WordPress is much easier to set up and use for a more blog-oriented site.
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Mar 2, 2009 · 1 minute read
General
Twitter, for those who aren't aware, is a popular microblogging service. What "microblogging" really means is something of a mystery to me. I've had an account for a little while but only recently started using it regularly. This is likely because I got around to integrating it with other systems I use – such as Facebook and this very blog. Another great help is the Twibble! Mobile app which runs very well on my Nokia E71 and allows for easy posting throughout the day.
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